Lesson Overview: This lesson will provide the students with the basic understanding of the anatomy of the human brain. During this lesson students will listen to a short lecture about the 3 main regions of the brain as well as the different lobes. As they listen to the lecture they will also label and color the regions during the discussion. After, they will engage in an activity that gives a hands on approach to understanding the consistency and weight of a human brain. This lesson is part of a curriculum for 7th grade middle schoolers, also it will fulfill the national science standards dealing with structure and functions of systems and regulation and behavior.
Learning Performances: After today's lesson the students will be able to understand:
I've chosen this standard because it covers the topic that all living systems encompass organization and that there are important levels of organization for structure and function, including organs and organ systems. This easily leads me into my lesson of the brain and it's regions with specific functions, or systems.
Hot water, potato flakes, sand, gallon-sized ziploc bags and red food coloring (optional)
Required Time: One 90 minute block period 10 Minutes- Take attendance/activate schema and introduce lesson (letting students know they are being administered an open notebook quiz at the end of the lesson.)
20 Minutes- Begin instructional activity of labeling and coloring regions and lobes of the brain.
20 Minutes- Show students video, pass out worksheet to complete during the video and go over answers. Will count as homework grade.
20 Minutes- Giving directions and conducting the 'brain in a bag' activity. 10 Minutes- Giving open notebook quiz.
10 Minutes- Winding class down, reminding students that they are allowed to take the video worksheet home to complete if they missed any questions. URL will be provided.
Instructional Sequence
Introducing the Lesson:
I will begin the period by first activating students' schema. I will briefly talk about previous lessons and ask students if they remember the basic steps of "creating" an organ. (Specialized cells become differentiated to form tissue which in turn cooperates with surrounding tissue which has been 'pre-conditioned' genetically to become a specific organ.) This will lead me into the main topic: The Human Brain.
To introduce this lesson I will stress that the brain is a marvelously complex and intricate organ of the body and that neurologists are learning new things about its workings every day. However, there are some things that we do already know about the brain's structure and function. This lesson will be a brief introduction to this amazing control center of our bodies.
Thus far this lesson is the first of the anatomy lessons. Some ways to hook my students into this activity would be to ask questions such as: "Have you ever wondered why if you hit the back of your head you would see stars?" or "Has anyone ever made a mistake and a friend joked with you about whether you have had a frontal lobe lobotomy?" Each of these questions could lead me into explaining how the different parts of the brain control different functions within your body. I will then write the objectives on the white board in bulleted format so that students' will know what is expected of them for the day. In basic form the objectives will look as follows:
Students will understand where the major regions and lobes of the brain are located as well as their functions.
Students will listen carefully and complete worksheets as directed by the teacher.
Students will responsibly, safely, and respectfully conduct a hands on experiment with their partner.
Students will participate, and be active note-takers.
Students will complete a small open notebook quiz at the end of the period.
Instructional Activities:
Next, I will show students an overhead of a basic unlabeled brain diagram (shown to the above right) and pass out an identical worksheet.
I will introduce the lesson as "mapping the brain" and start from the innermost section and work my way out.
To fulfill inquiry requirements I will ask the students before I go over each region what they think it's function could be.
TI will start with the 3 main areas of the brain: (While I am going over this the students will be coloring in these regions as I do on the overhead as well as taking notes in their notebook, I will be careful to pace myself during this process.)
The brain stem, responsible for basic body functions such as heartbeat regulation.
The cerebellum, responsible for things such as balance and muscular coordination.
The cerebrum, made of two distinct hemispheres and responsible for higher brain functions including thinking and emotions.
After the 3 main regions have been covered I will transition into the different lobes of the brain and begin the same process as the latter mentioned.
The front parts of the brain are called the frontal lobes. These lobes are responsible for reasoning and higher brain functions.
The upper middle lobes are the parietal lobes, responsible for touch.
The lower middle lobes (nearest the ears in a person) are the temporal lobes, responsible for hearing and speech.
The back lobes are the occipital lobes, responsible for vision.
Next, a video demonstrating injury to localized injuries of the brain will be played. A worksheet will be passed out for students to fill out during the video. (will be graded and considered their homework grade for the next day)
After the movie and brief discussion of the answers I will pass out the materials needed for the hands on and WOW factor part of the lesson. The materials will have already been placed in bins ready to be passed out to the students whom are already placed in pairs.
Students will be measuring out the previously mentioned materials of instant potato flakes, hot water, clean sand, and red food coloring which is optional. The measurements are as follows: (and are to be mixed in a 1 gallon ziploc bag)
1.5 cups instant potato flakes
2.5 cups hot water
2 cups clean sand
4 tablespoons of red food coloring (optional)
I will instruct the students to combine all of the ingredients in the ziploc bag and mix thoroughly. It should weigh about 3 lbs. (and have the consistency of a real brain!!!)
Next, the students will be instructed to make observations and record data about this experiment on a piece of paper in their notebooks and then to place their "brain bags" in a labeled receptacle.
Once this is complete the students will have about 20 minutes left of class.
Concluding the Lesson & Assessing Student Understanding
With 20 minutes remaining the students will be instructed that they will be given a 7-10 minute, 10 questioned open notebook quiz on today's lesson. This will act as mostly a motivator for good note-taking but also act as a great way to reiterate this day's topic.
At this point the students will have about 10 minutes before the end of class.
The video worksheet will be counted as homework and therefore students will be allowed to take it home to finish if they missed some questions. The URL will be provided.
Cautions: The water used in today's experiment needs to be at a higher temperature than warm, but much cooler than boiling. Still, needs to be handled with care. Computer and overhead projector need to be in working order. Sources: Nerouscience for Kids on the web Teaching Resources: Resource manuals on the Anatomy of the Human Brain, Videos for video assignments, Brain "Recipes"
Rationale:
I chose to create this lesson because it was a great way to sequel what the students have previously learned about cells and how they form into tissues and later into specific organs. I have always held a personal interest in the human brain and thought students would feel the same once they learned the fun facts. It pertains to their lives in the way that everybody has a brain, and in theory everyone has eyesight, speech, balance and memory. Being a science teacher I feel the need to answer and explore the question "why?". Why do we see, how do we see? How do we walk and stay balanced? By looking into the different regions and parts of the brain we find answers to this. I chose to use a video about a soldier who sustained Traumatic Brain Injury and even more specific temporal lobe damage. I felt it was a great way for students to see evidence of what happens when injury occurs to the certain parts of brains and the outcomes which follow. I had the students do a hands on activity (brain in the bag) which I felt was a fun and engaging way for students to learn the weight and the actual consistency of a human brain. It is one of the closest and cheapest ways for students to feel and see a "real" brain to understand its size. The quiz at the end of the period was a great way in which I could evaluate students' effectiveness in note-taking, understanding of the material, and I also found it to be a great study guide for future assessments.
Title: Anatomy of the Brain
Grade Level: 7th
Course: Middle School Physical and Life Sciences
Lesson Overview: This lesson will provide the students with the basic understanding of the anatomy of the human brain. During this lesson students will listen to a short lecture about the 3 main regions of the brain as well as the different lobes. As they listen to the lecture they will also label and color the regions during the discussion. After, they will engage in an activity that gives a hands on approach to understanding the consistency and weight of a human brain. This lesson is part of a curriculum for 7th grade middle schoolers, also it will fulfill the national science standards dealing with structure and functions of systems and regulation and behavior.
Learning Performances: After today's lesson the students will be able to understand:
Link to National Science Standard:
Table 6.3 Life Science Standards level 5-8; Structure and function in living systems, Regulation and behavior
More specifically: Living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. Important levels of organization for structure and function include cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, whole organisms, and ecosystems.
Materials Needed:
Required Time: One 90 minute block period
10 Minutes- Take attendance/activate schema and introduce lesson (letting students know they are being administered an open notebook quiz at the end of the lesson.)
20 Minutes- Begin instructional activity of labeling and coloring regions and lobes of the brain.
20 Minutes- Show students video, pass out worksheet to complete during the video and go over answers. Will count as homework grade.
20 Minutes- Giving directions and conducting the 'brain in a bag' activity.
10 Minutes- Giving open notebook quiz.
10 Minutes- Winding class down, reminding students that they are allowed to take the video worksheet home to complete if they missed any questions. URL will be provided.
Instructional Sequence
Introducing the Lesson:
Instructional Activities:
Concluding the Lesson & Assessing Student Understanding
- With 20 minutes remaining the students will be instructed that they will be given a 7-10 minute, 10 questioned open notebook quiz on today's lesson. This will act as mostly a motivator for good note-taking but also act as a great way to reiterate this day's topic.
- Quiz:
Brain quiz.doc
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- At this point the students will have about 10 minutes before the end of class.
- The video worksheet will be counted as homework and therefore students will be allowed to take it home to finish if they missed some questions. The URL will be provided.
Cautions: The water used in today's experiment needs to be at a higher temperature than warm, but much cooler than boiling. Still, needs to be handled with care. Computer and overhead projector need to be in working order.Sources: Nerouscience for Kids on the web
Teaching Resources: Resource manuals on the Anatomy of the Human Brain, Videos for video assignments, Brain "Recipes"
Rationale:
I chose to create this lesson because it was a great way to sequel what the students have previously learned about cells and how they form into tissues and later into specific organs. I have always held a personal interest in the human brain and thought students would feel the same once they learned the fun facts. It pertains to their lives in the way that everybody has a brain, and in theory everyone has eyesight, speech, balance and memory. Being a science teacher I feel the need to answer and explore the question "why?". Why do we see, how do we see? How do we walk and stay balanced? By looking into the different regions and parts of the brain we find answers to this. I chose to use a video about a soldier who sustained Traumatic Brain Injury and even more specific temporal lobe damage. I felt it was a great way for students to see evidence of what happens when injury occurs to the certain parts of brains and the outcomes which follow. I had the students do a hands on activity (brain in the bag) which I felt was a fun and engaging way for students to learn the weight and the actual consistency of a human brain. It is one of the closest and cheapest ways for students to feel and see a "real" brain to understand its size. The quiz at the end of the period was a great way in which I could evaluate students' effectiveness in note-taking, understanding of the material, and I also found it to be a great study guide for future assessments.
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